Gage-glass.



W. J. & J. H. HANLON.

GAGE GLASS.

APPLlcATloN FILED APR. 25, 1913.

1,136,468. Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. HANLON, 0F FITCHBURG, AND JOHN H. HANLON, 0F SOMERVILLE,

MASSACHUSETTS.

GAGE-GLASS.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

T all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, 'WILLIAM J. HANLoN and JOHN H. HANLON, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Fitchburg,

county of Worcester, Massachusetts, and Somerville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement i'n Gage-Glasses, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadv therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to water gages of the class employed on steam boilers to indicate the height of the water in the boiler and relates particularly to water gages of the so-called bulls-eye type. Heretofore, so

far as we have known, the blowing off of` these gages essential to rid them of the usual sediment and deposit collected therein has resulted in doing material injury to the bulls-eyes used-in the construction of the gage, so that they soon become clouded and weakened 4thereby necessitating the frequent renewal of the same.

The object of our invention, therefore, is to produce a gage glass, which may be blown off and thoroughly cleaned inside without the slightest injury to theglass and furthermore, which is so kconstructed that dirt,

and the like may be readily removed from the outer glass surfaces.

Our invention consists in certain novel features of construction andv arrangement, all as hereinafter more fully set forth in the following description of a device embodying our invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

The novel features of our invention are clearly defined and pointed out in the claims at the close of the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a water gage embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

46 Having reference to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at A the metallic frame or body of our improved gage glass. This is preferably vmade of bronze and is capable of withstandingthe 50 pressure to which it is subjected.

At B is a lateral extension or lug designed to be used in combination with a bracket C, ta which it is secured by a bolt 12, the gage glass thereby being held in the proper position upon the boiler.

On each face of the water gage, there are glass bulls-eyes arranged in two vertical rows, as shown in Fig. l, those in one row being indicated by the numerals 13 and those in the other` row by the numerals 14. so The bulls-eyes are so arranged that the upper portion of one overlaps the lower portion of another, as is clearly shown in Fig.

1. We have placed the bulls-eyes in this staggered relation in order that the level of the water or other liquid in the gage may be clearly visible through some one of the bulls-eyes. While we prefer to 'adopt the arrangement shown it will be clearthat the number of bulls-eyes may be increased or decreased. j

The opposite face from that shown in Fig.

1 is provided with a like number of bullseyes, there being o ne bulls-eye directly in line with each` ofthe bulls-eyes shown, as `will lbelclear from Fig.v2.

i Each of the bulls-eye holes, as is shown at 16 in Fig. 2, is provided with a ange 17. Each glass bulls-eye has a rib 18 for the purpose hereinafter set forth. A gasket 19 30 is located between each rib 18 and the flange l17 at each bulls-eye hole in the frame. A second gasket 20 is placed outside of each rib 18 and is abutted by a collar 21 threaded into each bulls-eye hole. vThe screwing in g5 of the collars 21, by means of notches 221, brings pressure against the gaskets 19 and 20 which fit tightly into the bulls-eye holes and operates to secure the glass bulls-eyes firmly in place and prevent any leakage. 9o 'lhe collars 21 fit snugly around the bullseyes and their outer portions are outwardly ared interiorly, and the outer faces or parts of the bulls-eyes extend out into the larger openings so formed, thus providing annular spaces 22 around the outer faces or parts of the bulls-eyes. This is a desirable feature of our gage-glass, as it has ybeen found in the past that the outer faces of the bullseyes become covered with dirt, grease and the like, and heretofore these faces could not be kept clean without an amount of trouble which engineers will not take, in ordinary practice. The annular spaces 22, however, render all of the outer glass surfaces accessible to be readily cleaned by wiping, since there is nothing at the peipheraledges of the bulls-eyes to interere.

-. The inner surfaces of the bulls-eyes and portions of the frame or body A, including the flanges 17 form a central vertical chamber 23 extendingvbetween the vertical rows or tiers of bull eyes, and which chamber, in horizontal section is thin or narrow 1n one direction and thick or wide in another direction. At the upper end of this chamber is a top or inletmounting 24 which 1s threaded into the boss 25 at the top of the frame A, and at the lower end of the chamber is a bottom mounting 26 threaded mto the boss 27. To the top mounting 24 is secured a tube 28 which extends downwardly centrally through the chamber 23 to a point a short distance above the opening in the bottom mounting 26, said opening providing an outlet from the chamber 23, and which outlet 1s inwardly or upwardly flaring, at 261.

The tube 28 extends to a point near the bottom of the chamber 23. This tube 28 serves to keep the hot steam away from the Vinner faces of the bull -eyes and also from the frame or body A, so far as is possible, and owing to the fact that the said tube extends to a point near the bottom of the chamber 23 the column of down-rushing steam expands in said chamber after leaving the mouth or outlet end of the tube, and in so doing agitates the water and causes it to circulate in said chamber and thus disturb any scale or mud which may accumulate in the lower part of the gage-glass, thereby thoroughly cleansing the inner faces of the bull -eyes.

We provide the upper end of the tube 28 with two ports 29, leading into the chamber 23. In blowing olf the gage, to remove the sediment, the steam will mainly pass downwardly from the inlet mounting 24:, through the tube 28 and thence out through the passage in the bottom mounting 26. It will thus be seen that there is therefore no rush of highly heated steam across the inner faces of the upper bulls-eyes, which we believe has been the cause of the rapid deterioration and clouding of the bulls-eyes in the past. The passage of the steam from the tube 28 into the orifice of the exhaust connection causes a suction and tends to lower the pressure in the chamber outside of the tube. The two ports 29 in the upper end of the tube permit the passage of steam into the upper end of the chamber 23, and therefore when the blowing off is completed the ressure throughout the chamber is equa lzed and the water will assume the level of the water in the boiler.

By carrying the steam through the body of the gage to the bottom thereof the body of the gage and the bulls-eyes are not suddenly heated by the inrush of steam at much higher temperature, and therefore the metal body is not suddenly expanded and contracted and consequently the bull -eyes are not loosened in the body nor broken nor arel the gaskets attacked by the highly heated steam, the inner gaskets being protected by the ianges 17, as will bereadily understood.

In blowing' out the gage, for the purpose of cleansing the same, the lower valve shown in Fig. 1 v1n the water pipe leading from the .boiler is not closed, and when the gage discharge cock is opened, and the pressure in the chamber of the gage is consequently lowered, high pressure steam is discharged from the tube 28 into the lower part of the chamber 23 where it expands and causes such an agitation or whirling about of the water and steam in said chamber as will effectively remove sediment and scale from the inner faces of the bulls-eye glasses. Owing to the lowered pressure in the chamber 23 the water from the pipe leading to the boiler, or the lower boiler mounting, flows upward as well as downward, thereby retarding .the discharge of water from the chamber of the gage glass in such a manner that the glass will be thoroughly cleansed internally before said chamber is emptied of water.

' What We claim is 1. An improved water gage consisting of a metallic frame or body, vertical rows or tiers of bull -eye glasses tted therein and separated from each other forming a central water chamberv between the inner faces of the bulls-eyes, and a steam tube extending from the top of said chamber to near the bottom thereof so that the lower end of said tube opens into said chamberin such a manner that when steam is admitted to said tube the water in said chamber will be agitated to cleanse the inner faces of the bulls-eyes.

2. An improved water gage consisting of a metallic frame or body, vertical rows or tiers of bulls-eye glasses fitted therein and separated from each other forming a central water chamber between the inner faces of the bulls-eyes, a top or inlet tubular mount'- ing attached to said frame or body, and a steam tube attached to said top mounting and extending from the top of said chamber to near the bottom thereof so that the lower end of said tube opens into said chamber in such a manner that when steam is admitted to said tube the water in said chamber will be agitated toA cleanse the inner faces of the bulls-eyes.

3. An improved water gage consisting of a metallic frame or body, vertical rows or tiers of bulls-eye glasses fitted therein and separated from each other forming a central Water chamber between the inner faces of the bulls-eyes, a top or inlet tubular mounting attached to sald frame or body, and a steam tube attached to said top mounting and extending from the top of said chamber to near the bottom thereof so that the lower in such a manner that when steam is admitted to said tube the water in said chamber will be agitated to cleanse the inner faces of the bulls-eyes, and a lower or outlet tubular mounting at the bottom of said chamber providing an inwardly flaring outlet from said chamber.

4. An improved water gage comprising a metallic frame or body, vertical rows or tiers of bulls-eye glasses, a central water chamber, and a steam tube extending from the top of said chamber to a point near the bottom thereof, so that said tube may discharge steam into the water at a little distance above the bottom of said chamber, thereby causing the water to be agitated or whirled about in said chamber so as to cleanse the inner faces of the bulls-eyes before it is discharged from the gage.

5. An improved water gage comprising a metallic frame or body, vertical rows or tiers, of bulls-eye glasses, a central water chamber, and a steam tube 'extending from the top of said chamber to a point near the bottom thereof, so that said tube may discharge steam into the water at a little distance above the bottom of said chamber, thereby causing the water to be agitated or whirled about in said chamber so as to cleanse the inner faces of the bulls-eyes before it is discharged from the gia e, said tube having ports at its upper en eading into said chamber, to equalize -the pressure therein.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

\ WILLIAM J. HANLON.

JOHN H. HANLON. Witnesses:

GEORGE P. DIRE, ALICE H. MORRISON. 

